Switch control means for vehicle lamps



April 11, 1933. H. ARNOLD ET AL SWITCH CONTROL MEANS FOR VEHICLE Filed April 24, 1931 Patented Apr. 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE ICE um OLD, OI WADLINGEN, AND EUGEN L'U'I'BCHEB, OF RAVENSBUBG, GER- MANY, ABSIGNOBS '10 ROBERT BOSCH AK'I'IENGESELLSG'HAFT, OI STUTTGABT,

SWITCH GOH'TBOL IEANS FOB VEHICLE LABS Appliolflon fledlprfl 14, 1981, Serial Io. 582,582, and in Germany Kay 1, 1980.

The present invention relates to switch control means. for vehicle lamps.

We have alread constructed a switch box for the electric 1i ting of vehicles, in which a stop is provided between the switch 051- tions for turnin on the side lights an the head li hts. Th s stop is adapted to prevent the switch from being accidentally rotated from the full head light position past the dimming position into the s1de light or out position when changing from distant light to dimmedl' ht on meeting an on-coming driver. In or er to turn the switch past the stop the switch key must be displaced in 1ts longitudinal direction.

When switching from the side light posltion into the dimmed headlight. positlon however the stop is notnecessary, because this change is generall only made at the beginning of-travel w ereby the switch can be scarcely rotated too far by accident and also if this did happen there would be no serious results during travel. On that account the stop according to the present invention only prevents rotation of the switch key in one direction, this switch key being displaceable in the longitudinal direction in known manner against a sprin force.

In a known switc a press knob having an inclined end surface has already been proposed as a stop for the switch lever. When turning the switch lever back, the press knob must be pressed down until the lever has been rotated at least partlyover the press knob. Two hands are necessary for this, one for pressing down the press knob and the other for turning back the switch lever.

In contradistinction to this, only one hand is needed to operate the switch according to the present invention, by which hand the switch key can be pressed down and also rotated whilst the other hand can keep hold of the steering wheel.

Another known switch is locked against rotation in every switch position and can be released by longitudinally displacing the switch key against spring force. As the switch .has to be released before every turn of the switch it cannot be used however as a dimming switch.

One form of construction of the invention is illustrated byway of example in the accompanying drawing in which Flgure 1 is an axial sectional view through the switch box with the key inserted.

marked the four switch positions 0, 1, 2 and 3.

A disc 7 having two locldng. teeth 8 which are inclined on one side is welded to the inner side of the flange 6. The openin formed between the flange 6, the disc 7 an the key 10 is closed by a transversely slotted rotatable disc 9 through which the key 10 is adapted to be passed. The ward end of the key 10 is cut back at 19 so that two shoulder pieces are formed. I

A switch shaft 12 connected to a switch plate or roller 11 is provided with a longitudinal boring 13 for the body of the key 10, and a transverse slot 14 for the ward of the key 10. In addition the switch shaft 12 is not round at its upper end and a stop disc 15, having two nose-pieces 16 adapted to cooperate. with the locking teeth is non-rotat ably but longitudinally displaceably mounted on the shaft 12 by means of a corresponding opening or aperture. The stop disc 15 is forced against the key locking disc 9 by a helical spring 17 abutting against the switch plate 11, the key lock disc 9 abuttin against the disc 7. The shoulder pieces 19 o? the keyward rest on the disc 15 whilst the body of the key is held below in the bore 13 of the switch axle by two spring bolts 18 which permit the key 10 being pressed down.

In the plan shown, the key 10 togetherwith the switch shaft 12 and the switch plate 11 can be suitably rotated to and fro between the positions 0 and 1. If the key 10 is rotated from 1 to 2 the two. nosepieces I6 strike the inclined surfaces oftlre lockin teeth 8 and slide along these, whereby the iso 16 is I displaced downwards against force of the nosepieces 16 so that the sprin 17. In the position 2 the disc is force u wards agaln into its original posltion by t e spring 17. The key 10 can now be suitabl rotated to and fro between 2 and 3; the loc ing teeth 8 hereb form stops for the key 10 cannot be accidentally rotated past 2 when rotatin from 3-to 2. If the key 10 is to be turned bac from 2 to 1, it is ressed downwards whereby it carries the disc 15 along with it against the force of the spring 17 by its two shoulders 19. Directly the key 10 is rotated by the same handle into the desired position 1 the spring 17 pushes the disc 15 back again into the normal up er position.

' nly one hand and one handle is therefore required for turning the key from 2 to 1 whereby the manipulation of the switch is considerably facilitated.

The switch can be modified in suitable manner for example two nosepieces 16 can be mounted directly on the key 10. In this case the helical spring 17 can be disposed at the bottom in the bore 13.

We claim:

1. Switch control means for vehicle lamps comprising a casing, a rotatable switch member mounted in said casing and adapted to assume a plurality of positions corr nding to different conditions of illumination of said lamps, a key adapted to be inserted in said casing to engage and operate said switch member, and means within said casing cooperatin with said key to permit free rm tation 0 said switch member in one direction to all the switch positions without lon-y gitudinal displacement of said key, but limiting rotation of said switch member in the other direction unless said key is first longitudinally displaced.

2. Switch control means for vehicle lamps comprising a casing, a switch member adapted to occupy at least three positions corresponding to difl'erent conditions of illuminatlon of said lamps, a key adapted to be inserted in said-casing to enga e and operate said switch member, said mem er being freely rotatable in one direction to any of said switch positions without longitudinal displacement of 881d key, and means within said casin permitting rotation of said switch member in the other direction between only two of said switch positions without longitudinal displacement of said key;

3. Switch control means for vehicle lamps comprising a casing, a rotatable switch member mounted in said casing and adapted to assume a plurality of positions corresponding to different conditions of illumination of said lamps, a key adapted to be inserted in said casing to enga e and operate said switch member, and abutment means provided in said casing adapted to limit rotation of said key in one direction only but permitting free rotation in the other direction.

7 assume a plurality of positions corres 4. Switch control means for vehicle lamps comprising a casi a rotatable switch member mounted in said casing and adapted (tio n ing to difi'erent conditions of illuminatlon of said lamps, a key adapted to be inserted in said casing to engage and operate said switch member, co-operating abutment members provided in said casing adapted to limit rotation of said key in one direction onl but permitting free rotation .in the other irection, and resilient means urging said abutment members together.

5. Switch control means 'for vehicle lamps comprising a casin a rotatable switch member mounted in sai casing and adapted to assume a pluralit of positions corresponding to different conditions of illumination of sai lamps, a key adapted to be inserted in said casing to engage and operate said switch member, co-operating abutment members associated with said key, and resilient means urgin said abutment members together, one of said abutment members havin an inclined surface on One side so as to rm1t limited rotation of said key in one rection only but permitting free rotation in the other direction.-

6. Switch control means for vehicle lamps comprising a casing, a rotatable switch member mounted in said casing and adapted to assume a plurality of positions corresponding to different conditions of illuminatlon of said lamps, a key adapted to beinserted in said casing to engage and operate said switch member, a fixed member within said casing having a projection extending therefrom, said projection having an inclined face, a member rotatable with said key and having a projection adapted to engage said projection on the fixed member, and resilient means pressing said last mentioned members into engagement with each other and adapted to permit said projection on the movable member to ride over the inclined surface of the projection on the fixed member to permit limited rotation of said key in one direction only but permitting free rotation in the other direction. v

7. Switch control means for vehicle lamps comprising a casing, a rotatable switch member mounted in said casing and adapted to assume a plurali of ositlons. corr nding to difierent ondiiions of illuni iil rtion of said lamps, a key adaptedto be inserted in said casing to engage and operate said switch member, and ratchet means associated with the key adapted to permit limited rotationof said key in one direction only, but permitting free rotation in the other directlon.

8. Switch control means for vehicle lamps ing to ofi, dim and full light conditions of said lamps, a key adapted to be inserted in said casing to engage and operate said switch member, and means within said casing 00- operating with said key to permit rotation of said switch member in one direction from off to full light positions without longitudinal displacement of said key but permitting rotation of said switch member in the other direction only between dim and full light positions without longitudinal displacement of said key after initial rotation of said switch member from OK to full light position.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed signatures. v

HEINRICH ARNOLD. EUGEN LUTSCHER. 

